Integrated spreadsheet expanding table with collapsable columns

Abstract

GUI selected rows of a displayed spreadsheet are collapsed based on column values such that all of the rows having the same value in the selected column are represented by a single collapsed row with an indicator indicating the row is collapsed. All column values of all the rows of the spreadsheet can be collapsed or individual column values can be collapsed. Collapsed rows are expanded for all rows or for a selected row. The expanded rows may be sorted, retain the original sequence but be grouped by column value or may be displayed in the original sequence with rows having different values.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the field of graphic user interfaces (GUIs) within computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates managing presentations large spreadsheets or tables on a computer system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Spreadsheet applications provide a matrix of cells. The matrix is made up of “rows”, a row having one or more horizontal cells and “columns”, a column having one or more vertical cells. Each cell of a row is positionally related, as is each cell of a column. Each cell can contain data or a formula for presenting data at the cell. The matrix of the spreadsheet can be sorted by column or row in order to rearrange the information in the matrix to make the presentation of the data more user friendly. A multi-column table is a simple form of a spreadsheet wherein data cell values are explicitly data rather than formulae. The terms “table” and “spreadsheet” will be used interchangeably within the present...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] It is another object of the invention to determine a plurality of first rows of the plurality of N rows having duplicate first data cell values and then collapsing the plurality of determined first rows of the plurality of N rows to display a single collapsed row representing the plurality of first rows, thereby hiding the plurality of first rows.

Problems solved by technology

Data presented in a spreadsheet form is often difficult to work with when the number of rows or columns of the spreadsheet becomes large.

This would not be of significant help in our example as there would still be millions of rows displayed even if some rows were hidden.

Current user interface (UI) controls used to display lists of related information do not provide adequate methods for organizing and navigating very large amounts of information.

Even where one exists, moving rows to the left of a vertical bar in order to provide the hierarchical format disturbs the familiar relationship perception of the user.

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